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The Best Intrinsically Safe Flashlights & Headlamps for 2021
Intrinsically Safe Lighting: Everything You Need To Know
Your Lighting Could Cause An Explosion If It's Not Rated Intrinsically Safe
What does intrinsically safe mean?
At its most simple, a definition of "intrinsically safe" is:
A device that uses protective techniques to ensure that it cannot be a source of ignition in hazardous zones where the environment is inherently volatile.
In many industries, fire is a dangerous and constant hazard. Whether it be flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dust, or ignitable fibers - work environments come with a high-level of risk. Workers require safety products, including safe lighting, specially designed to reduce or even remove that risk.
Remember: a fire in work environments can not only spread rapidly, it can also cause an explosion.
If you bring a flashlight or a headlamp into a Hazardous Location (HAZLOC), you must be sure it has been tested and rated safe to use under those conditions, or you risk ignition and potential explosion. Lights that carry these ratings are certified as Intrinsically Safe.
Organizations and businesses have a duty to their workers and their stakeholders to provide safe working conditions and equipment.
The US and Europe have different criteria for their safety certifications; keep reading as we'll go into greater detail about these certifications.
What makes a device intrinsically safe?
Simply put:
Low-energy circuitry is the primary technique used to make devices intrinsically safe. This includes low outputs for power, voltage, temperature, and current. So low that ignition becomes impossible.
There is another method that qualifies as intrinsically safe, that of "explosion-proof" products.
What is the Difference Between Explosion-proof and Intrinsically Safe?
An explosion-proof product is simply a type of "intrinsically safe" product, where the apparatus is held within an enclosure that, if an explosion occurs, is contained and thus unable to ignite the environment. It's important that the integrity of the enclosure is carefully and repeatedly analyzed, as even a small defect can compromise safety.
Intrinsically Safe Lighting Solutions
For over five decades, UK has been producing innovative lighting solutions with a focus on safety. If you need explosion-proof lighting, lights that are as powerful as they are versatile, and lighting solutions that can withstand even the harshest and most hazardous environments - UK lighting products are made for the job.
Intrinsically Safe Flashlights
We are proud of our intrinsically safe lights, which are designed to enable your essential workers to focus on their important jobs, knowing that their flashlight will not let them down. Our flashlights are the perfect companions for challenging jobs and hazardous environments.
More than just safety flashlights, our range offers a variety of features, from hands-free mounting to superior battery life and affordability. While innovations on certain models include dual-beam, chemical resistance, patented projection zoom, and much much more.
Find the right intrinsically safe flashlight for you.
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Intrinsically safe headlamps
When it comes to headlamps that are lightweight, feature-rich, and can take a beating - we offer proven solutions.
Our rugged and dependable UK headlamps are class 1 division 1 certified; offering intrinsically safe lighting and a host of key features such as:
• Compound path optics
• Multiple beam modes
• Thermal recovery system
• Work light mode
• Usable with heavy gloves
• Waterproof
• Chemical resistance
Learn more about our unique features and find the right choice for you today.
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US & Canada Safety Certifications
The US and Canada Certify Lights Based On Criteria Below
CLASS, DIVISION AND GROUP CERTIFICATION MARKINGS
Wondering about Class 1 Divsion 1 requirements? Curious about the Class 1 Division 2 definition? Unsure what Groups mean?
In order to understand the ratings, let's look at the rating on the side of our 4AA eLED RFL light as an example.
(Note: a light is not certified unless the mark of certification is printed on the body of the light.)
"Division" Defined
In the US and Canada, all Intrinsically Safe flashlights are rated Division 1.
Division 1 : "Hazard Likely". This is a location where an ignitable concentration of flammable material is present under normal operating conditions.
Division 2 : "Hazard Not Likely". This is a location where an ignitable concentration of flammable material is present under abnormal conditions, but where a fire or explosion could occur.
All Intrinsically Safe flashlights are rated Division 1.
"Class" Defined
This rating is further broken down into Classes, which depend on the type of flammable material the flashlight might encounter.
Class 1 : Flammable gases, vapors, and liquids - for instance, petroleum refineries, utility gas plants, gasoline storage facilities etc.
Class 2 : Combustible dusts - for example grain elevators, coal preparation plants, etc.
Class 3 : Ignitable fibers and flyings - for instance, textile mills or plants that create sawdust
"GROUP" Defined
Each Class is then broken into Groups to further classify hazard materials that have similar characteristics, more importantly, their ignition-related properties.
Group A: Acetylene
Group B: Acrolein, arsine, butadiene, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, propylnitrate, hydrogen
Group C: Acetaldehyde, allyl alcohol, n-butyraldehyde, carbon monoxide, crotonaldehyde, cyclopropane, diethyl ether, diethylamine, epichlorohydrin, ethylene, ethyl ether, ethylenimine, ethyl mercaptan, ethyl sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, morpholine, 2-nitropropane, tetrahydrofuran, and unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine.
Group D: Acetic acid (glacial), acetone, acrylonitrile, ammonia, benzene, butane, 1-butanol (butyl alcohol), 2-butanol (secondary butyl alcohol), n-butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, di-isobutylene, ethane, ethanol (ethyl alcohol), ethyl acetate, ethyl acrylate (inhibited), ethylene diamine (anhydrous), ethylene dichloride, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, gasoline, heptanes, hexanes, isoprene, isopropyl ether, mesityl oxide, methane (natural gas), methanol (methyl alcohol), 3-methyl-1 butanol (isoamyl alcohol), methyl ethyl ketone, 2-methyl-1-propanol (isobutyl alcohol), 2-methyl-2-propanol (tertiary butyl alcohol), petroleum naphtha, pyridine, octanes, pentanes, 1-pentanol (amyl alcohol), propane, 1-propanol (propyl alcohol), 2-propanol (isopropyl alcohol), propylene, styrene, toluene, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, xylenes
Group E: Combustible metal dusts, including aluminum, magnesium and their commercial alloys
Group F: Carbonaceous dusts, including coal, carbon black, charcoal and coke
Group G: Dusts not included in Groups E and F, including wood, plastics, flour, starch, grain or chemical dusts
"Temperature" Defined
Finally, as a double-check, the flashlight it is given a “T” rating, which is based on the highest temperature any part of the flashlight can reach while in use or when something goes wrong like a short circuit in the light.
European Safety Certifications (ATEX)
Europe Uses Different Standards For Certification Testing
Class, Division, and Group Certification Markings
Wondering what C1D1 means on your safety flashlight? In order to understand the rating printed on a flashlight let us look at the rating on the side of our 3AA eLED CPO light as an example.
Equipment Group
Intrinsically Safe industrial flashlights are rated for Groups II & III
Group I: Electrical equipment intended for use in mines susceptible to firedamp (methane)
Group II: Electrical equipment intended for use in places with an explosive gas atmosphere other than mines susceptible to firedamp (methane)
Group lII: Electrical equipment intended for use in places with an explosive dust atmosphere other than mines susceptible to firedamp (methane)
Hazard Category
Intrinsically Safe flashlights should be rated at least CATEGORY 1 or 2
1 (zone 0, 20): Explosive gas/dust present continuously or most of the time (>1000 hr/year) (NEC Div 1 equivalent)
2 (zone 1, 21): Explosive gas/dust present occasionally (10-1000 hr/year) (NEC Div 2 equivalent)
3 (zone 2, 22): Explosive gas/dust unlikely to occur or present for short periods only (1-10 hr/year) (NEC Div 2 equivalent)
Environment
Gas rating is required
G: Gas
D: Dust
Protection Type
i Intrinsic safety protection is most efficient
i Intrinsic safety / e Increased safety / n Non-arcing / d Flameproof
q Powder filled / n Enclosed or sealed / p Purged or pressurized / m Encapsulation
n Restricted breathing / o Liquid immersion / t dust protected / op is limited optical energy
Fault Analysis
a or b engineering analysis is required
a Two fault analysis (Cat 1, zone 0, 20)
b One fault analysis (Cat 2, zone 1, 21)
c Normal operation (Cat 3, zone 2, 22)
Atmosphere Group
Specifies the most flammable Atmosphere Group where the light can be used
Group I: I typical gas: methane
Group II: IIA typical gas: propane (NEC Class I, Group D) IIB typical gas: ethylene (NEC Class I, Group C) IIC typical gas: hydrogen (NEC Class I, Group A & B)
Group III: IIIA material: combustible flyings (NEC Class III) IIIB material: non-conductive dust (NEC Class II, Group F, G) IIIC material: conductive dust (NEC Class II, Group E)
Temperature Class Summary
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